Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.1241

c7.1241

3) Jāmbavān and the incarnation of Vāmana. Jāmbavān walked round Mahāviṣṇu, who incarnated as Vāmana to curb the powers of Mahābali. At that time Jāmbavān was immensely strong. But by the time of the incarnation of Śrī Rāma his strength had decreased much. Hear what he said to the monkeys who assembled on the sea shore to go in search of Sītā. "My abilities in olden times were not what you see now. In the far old days, I had walked round that Eternal Being Viṣṇu when he measured three steps at the sacrifice of Mahābali. Now, I am very old and have not enough strength to jump over the sea.” (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Kiṣkindhā kāṇḍa, Sarga 65).
4) Jāmbavān and the incarnation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. The long-living Jāmbavān who had witnessed nine out of the ten incarnations of Mahāviṣṇu is seen in connection with the precious stone Syamantaka, in the incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. The Sun-god gave this jewel Syamantaka to King Satrājit. His younger brother Prasena wore it and went to the forest for hunting. A lion killed him and took the jewel in his mouth and was going along the forest when Jāmbavān killed it and took the jewel. It was rumoured that Śrī Kṛṣṇa had killed Prasena and taken the jewel. So Śrī Kṛṣṇa went in search of the jewel to the forest, defeated Jāmbavān and took the jewel, and returned it to Satrājit. Śrī Kṛṣṇa married Jāmbavatī the daughter of Jāmbavān. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).